Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => The Bike - C10 => Topic started by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 03, 2021, 11:29:14 AM

Title: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 03, 2021, 11:29:14 AM
 I am selling my C10.  I did a dark side conversion on it last summer.  I really like it.  But trying to sell bike no one seems to be interested in the car tire.  I have the tire, wheel, the machined caliper bracket spacers and bushings..  and I can tell you exactly how to bolt it on.  I know this is not for everyone.   But it works good and tire mileage will double or triple.  The tire only has little over 1,000 miles.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: DC Concours on March 03, 2021, 11:32:45 AM
what is a dark side conversion?

I have heard of people doing car tire conversions. did you have to modify the frame for it?
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: works4me on March 03, 2021, 12:04:31 PM
I may be interested. What $ are you asking?
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 03, 2021, 04:34:39 PM
I may be interested. What $ are you asking?
  I will take $200. for all.  I am located in central Illinois.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 03, 2021, 04:35:51 PM
what is a dark side conversion?

I have heard of people doing car tire conversions. did you have to modify the frame for it?
Dark side is a rear car tire.  And no there is no frame modification.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: sport rider on March 04, 2021, 10:06:09 AM
what conversion did you do?  I just used a CT on a stock rim for mine.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 04, 2021, 04:47:56 PM
  i went to a 15" rim. Gives more clearance from tire to swing arm.  You have to machine the caliper bracket to fit with the 15" wheel because it wider.  This set up works very well.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: connie_rider on March 05, 2021, 08:16:37 AM
I'm not interested in buying, {I like the twistie's too much}, just interested in how it was done.
Seems like a good price for someone though, if they want to try the Dark Side....
If you don't mind,,,
What size is the tire?
Is the OD of the Car Tire the same diameter as the OEM tire? {Larger/smaller?}

Ride safe, Ted
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on March 06, 2021, 04:50:36 AM
175R15 and yes it is almost exact as the Metzler that id now back on the bike.  Bike is for sale and car tire spooking buyers.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Chrome Megaphone on April 01, 2021, 05:49:04 AM
Imagine if you put the ZG 1200 front on with that.  You'll have a fat boy  :)  Maybe it's a bolt-on with forks?
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on April 10, 2021, 10:26:10 AM
not going to handle like a fat boy.  This thing like a rocket ship on rails with the car tire. 
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: datsaxman@hotmail.com on April 16, 2021, 01:37:27 AM
I am on a C14 these days, but I did a C10 darkside setup as well. 

It is a very long story, but here is a much shorter version:


"Everybody" told me what a bad idea it was.  Like, everybody.
Folks that knew a lot, and folks who had never ridden a motorcycle,
were all quite sure that it was an awful idea.  I read all that I could find on the topic.
I am a professional scientist, so this included some pretty thick reading.  I read large
chunks of "The Pneumatic Tire", the beyond-comprehensive NHTSA book on the
subject.  It is essentially the history of the development of air-filled car tires.
Truly fascinating stuff.
I read all that I could find on the internet.  Which was not a whole lot, really.

And then I dove in and tried it.  Of course, I had to put it on myself.  No shop would
touch it.  This was not a problem, but you should know that.  Also, some tires work
better or worse on some bikes.  It is impossible to get much information.  I knew I
would have to do some trial and error.  I would have to become my own expert.

Mine was 175/75R16 on the stock C10 rear wheel. 

At first, it was seriously squirrelly.  Moved around in the corners viciously
if I chopped the throttle.  As I experimented with tire pressure, it got better
and better.  Finally I got the pressure high enough so that it was stable.

When I say stable, I mean the thing handled better than it ever had on the stock tires.

I was more than relieved.  I was amazed. 

That was 10 years ago.  Nearly 300,000 moto miles.  Mostly on CAR TIRES.  Rode on the car tire today, down the mountain at speed.


There is a great deal of "expertise" out there, based on "common sense" that is very common, but contains no personal experience. 
Darksiding is definitely not for everybody.  There is the single downside of making the bike turn a little more sluggishly.  A LITTLE.

There are several substantial upsides.  Still, most folks should definitely keep going to the moto dealer for the stock rubber.   

Drop me a line if you want to chat about this, or if you just want to yell at me. 


Somebody adventurous should BUY this rear tire.  This is a good deal, and it WORKS. 





Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on April 16, 2021, 05:22:51 AM
  Thank you.  Maybe folks will not think I am as crazy as they have been.
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: DC Concours on April 16, 2021, 10:08:44 AM
This is quite an interesting and a rare modification. Any of you have pics of the tire on the bike?
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: m in sc on April 16, 2021, 11:28:48 AM
way more common on the goldwing side of things, i've seen quite a few, even followed some through the mountains. It def works better than one would think,  and people that have them love it... but the same can be said about sidecar rigs. to me, its very much in the same camp of thought. (and def never on my 'to do' list of things to own).

Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: kkja13 on April 16, 2021, 10:24:53 PM
I am on a C14 these days, but I did a C10 darkside setup as well. 

It is a very long story, but here is a much shorter version:


"Everybody" told me what a bad idea it was.  Like, everybody.
Folks that knew a lot, and folks who had never ridden a motorcycle,
were all quite sure that it was an awful idea.  I read all that I could find on the topic.
I am a professional scientist, so this included some pretty thick reading.  I read large
chunks of "The Pneumatic Tire", the beyond-comprehensive NHTSA book on the
subject.  It is essentially the history of the development of air-filled car tires.
Truly fascinating stuff.
I read all that I could find on the internet.  Which was not a whole lot, really.

And then I dove in and tried it.  Of course, I had to put it on myself.  No shop would
touch it.  This was not a problem, but you should know that.  Also, some tires work
better or worse on some bikes.  It is impossible to get much information.  I knew I
would have to do some trial and error.  I would have to become my own expert.

Mine was 175/75R16 on the stock C10 rear wheel. 

At first, it was seriously squirrelly.  Moved around in the corners viciously
if I chopped the throttle.  As I experimented with tire pressure, it got better
and better.  Finally I got the pressure high enough so that it was stable.

When I say stable, I mean the thing handled better than it ever had on the stock tires.

I was more than relieved.  I was amazed. 

That was 10 years ago.  Nearly 300,000 moto miles.  Mostly on CAR TIRES.  Rode on the car tire today, down the mountain at speed.


There is a great deal of "expertise" out there, based on "common sense" that is very common, but contains no personal experience. 
Darksiding is definitely not for everybody.  There is the single downside of making the bike turn a little more sluggishly.  A LITTLE.

There are several substantial upsides.  Still, most folks should definitely keep going to the moto dealer for the stock rubber.   

Drop me a line if you want to chat about this, or if you just want to yell at me. 


Somebody adventurous should BUY this rear tire.  This is a good deal, and it WORKS.

I'm curious as to what pressure worked best?
Title: Re: Dark side a C10. I have a complete set up avalible.
Post by: Ghost Rider 2 on April 17, 2021, 06:04:37 AM
 I found 34 - 35  cold worked best for me.